Thank You

Dear Parents and Students,

I hope your holiday is full of cheer, family, and friends. Thank you all for your gift of Laura's beautiful ceramics.

This blog photo comes from Alli Lubin. I like what it says about this group of youngsters. We're having fun!

Best holiday wishes,

Charlie

Some Pics - A Video - A Reminder or Two

Here are a few pictures from class activities and a video showing a bridge being tested.

Remember, 5th graders will skate tomorrow. Send appropriate gear.

Tonight, 5th graders have base words to review for a pretest on Friday. There is also a short math assignment.

We are still collecting non-perishable food items and toys.

Thank you,

Charlie

I've attached a passage from a website named thenxtclassroom.com. I've subscribed to the site as a resource and I was pleased and intrigued to discover how well aligned our student observations are with the bulleted fundamental concepts presented on the site. I thought you might be interested.

Why teach Robotics?

Robotics is fast becoming an integral part of school curriculum with its ability to integrate across a broad range of topics, most notably the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Areas. Robotics encourages kids to think creatively, analyze situations and apply critical thinking and problem solving skills to real world problems. Teamwork and co-operation are a cornerstone of any robotics project. Students learn it is acceptable to make mistakes, especially if it leads them to better solutions.

Robotics is a fun and engaging way to teach fundamental technology, math and science concepts. There are several key facets that the teaching of robotics promotes:

Problem Analysis: Robotics encourages students to take a broad look at a situation and identify exactly what problem needs to be solved. Real world applications are easily found, giving students context for their project. Before any construction can begin, students must identify "what need will this robot fulfill?". With this in mind, how should the robot be designed to meet these need?

Real World Design: With an application in mind and an idea of implementation, students can now begin the design process. This stage provides great rewards for students as the as they produce physical realizations of conceptual ideas. There is plenty of opportunity for refinement and improvement as they discover errors in their plans and issues they would never have considered during the design stage. Prototypes are quickly built and just as quickly discarded with lessons learnt as students progress towards an optimal solution. Resources must be managed and compromise made between form, function and cost.

Programming: There are a variety of programming languages available for robotics, from graphical development environments to text-based languages. Programming skills teach students to think logically and to consider multiple situations, as they learn a robot will do exactly as it is told, no more and no less. Information from a variety of sensors must be processed and dealt with logically and as with the design stage, there is ample opportunity for trial and error as students fine-tune their robots to perform at their best.

We’ve had a busy few days. Between concert rehearsals and a tiring Tuesday night, we’ve been learning to program our Lego NXT robots, revising creative James and the Giant Peach chapters, and developing our division algorithm skills.

In our robotics unit, students have learned some basic programming. Each student has worked through a series of fundamental skill building exercises and learned to instruct vehicles to travel away and back, in a square, and in a triangle route. Students have also practiced programming loop and sequence. In the process, students have been actively using the terms degree, rotation and percent. It’s great to hear the language of math being applied. In a short writing response to the project, students shared the following observations.

• “We are doing this project to learn exactitude and measurement.”
• “We are doing this because it is fun hard science and problem solving.”
• “We’re doing this project so we can think like scientists think every day.”
• “We are learning about exact action and why action needs to be exact.”
• “We are learning engineering.”
• “We’ve encountered lots of trouble but we’ve worked with partners to solve some of the problems and move on to the next challenge.”
• “We are doing this to get better at math and problem solving.”
• “I think we’re doing this project because it’s fun for us to work on and solve problems and it is helping us to work together.”

I couldn’t ask to work with a more enthusiastic and thoughtfully engaged group.

In math, we’ve been learning to apply an estimation division algorithm. For some students, this has been a relatively easy task made especially easy with single digit divisors and strong multiplication fact recall. For others, the process has been facilitated using estimation and friendly multiples. Our work has been complimented by hands-on division exercises. We’ve used decimal blocks to trade, regroup, and distribute. This has proven a satisfying and grounding activity.

Generally speaking, students who struggle with division at an abstract level are struggling with automaticity of multiplication fact recall. The struggle signifies the importance of frequent multiplication review. Please take a few minutes, every few days, to toss out a number of random multiplication questions. If your child hesitates in naming the product, I advise giving the correct answer as a way to reinforce the correct answer.

Trip to St. Mark's

Dear Parents,

I’m writing to you on my return trip from St. Mark’s School in Southborough, MA. Eve McDermott, Kathy Richardson and I attended a lecture on technology, engineering, and neuroscience. The topic of our children coming of age in a world of technological innovation and change was exciting and controversial. Most interesting to me was the exploration of an assessment matrix that focused on critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, information literacy, flexibility and adaptability, innovation and self direction, and leadership and responsibility. These are assessment benchmarks that I haven’t written down in a formal assessment matrix but they are, decidedly, the guiding principles of my curriculum development. It was satisfying to see them presented as essential to assessment.

This week I launched a pilot program in science. We dove headlong into a Lego robotics activity (Lego Mindstorm NXT) that will engage students at the exhilarating level of play and sophisticated levels of mathematics, programming, problem solving, and creativity. There is a vibration of energy in the classroom as the students work together in the initial building phase of this project and a measurable excitement in the anticipation of what is to come. On Friday, students will begin to program their robotic creations. They’ll encounter one challenge after another, giggle with nervous excitement, try and fail and try again and discover, in the process, relevance in their work with mathematics. These are exciting days to be in the fifth grade.

Incidentally, this pilot program was made possible by a generous earmarked gift to The Grammar School’s science department. I am enormously appreciative.

Important Dates

I hope you and your family enjoyed a pleasant and relaxing Thanksgiving break. Tomorrow (Monday 11/28) is an inservice workshop for teachers at TGS. We'll be planning and scheduling individual tasks for our reaccreditation with NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges).

On Tuesday, fifth graders should bring recorders to school. Ideally, students will have been practicing the recorder over the break.

On Friday, between 10:00 and 12:00, the fifth through eighth grade students will travel to Vermont Academy for our first PSD ice skating activity. If your child does not have skates, I suggest visiting the ski/skate sale at TGS. The sale will begin on Thursday after school and the doors will be open through the day on Friday. I'll be at the sale on Thursday and I am happy to answer your questions about buying cross-country ski equipment.

On Thursday, I'll be attending a professional workshop focused on technology and engineering in the middle school curriculum. I'll have a substitute despite the fact that fifth graders will spend only one academic period in the classrooom. Instead of a regular schedule, fifth graders will have a special chorus rehearsal, a technology class, and a double art period.

Classroom News, a Few Links and Some Pictures

On Tuesday, the fifth grade traveled to The New England Youth Theater to see James and the Giant Peach. Rachel and Isaac (6th grade) took on roles in a truly terrific adaptation of Dahl's classic story. In class, we've started reading the text and today students worked to write the first of several creative alternative chapters. The exercise of imitating Dahl's narrative style is always fun. In the process, students practice writing and punctuating dialogue.

In science, students continue to work on building wooden bridges. Each student has nearly completed building one of two truss members. We're on schedule for completing this project before Thanksgiving break.

With Thanksgiving in mind, a school buddy activity is scheduled for next Wednesday. During All School Meeting, we'll be assembling Thanksgiving baskets for the local food shelf. Ponnie Derby has asked each fifth grader to bring in a ready mix pie crust (not frozen). If you can add a pie crust to your regular shopping schedule, please send it in with your child no later than Tuesday. I'll make a count on Tuesday afternoon and if we're short (no pun intended) I'll pick up a few extra boxes.

Tomorrow in social studies, we’ll welcome Dr. Steven Kiruswa from Tanzania. He will be visiting classes in the morning and answering questions about life growing up as a Maasai and his work as a Wildlife Conservationist. Dr. Kiruswa is an acquaintance of Leyeyo (8th grade) and his American parents, Paul Weber and Sarah Messenger. As homework tonight, fifth graders should write down a thoughtful question or two for Dr. Kiruswa.

As mentioned in the Wednesday Notice, TGS will host a ski and skate sale on December 1st and 2nd. This is a great opportunity to unload outgrown winter clothes and equipment. It's also an opportunity to outfit your child with cross-country or alpine skis. I recommend digging through your child's outgrown clothes and equipment as soon as possible and delivering the goods to Deb Gray in the business office. She'll recommend reasonable prices. On a separate note, we'll begin PSD ice skating at Vermont Academy after Thanksgiving break. If your child has skates, please be sure the blades are sharp. If your child needs skates, please check with Deb Gray.

As we look toward the winter sport season, I wanted to direct your attention to a program known as Fifth Graders Ski for Free. This is a great opportunity for fifth graders. If you're interested, I recommend applying to the program early. http://www.skivermont.com/love-winter/news-notes/fifth-graders-ski-free

There seems to be a nasty flu virus floating around TGS and Windham County. I've encouraged students to wash hands often and before eating. Please remind your child that this is a good practice and encourage him or her to wash hands at school. I had a free flu shot at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital the other day. If you find yourself in the Hanover/Lebanon area, you might want to stop in. Check the attached free vaccine schedule. http://patients.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/health_information/flu_vaccine_information.html

Pics from the Week

I'll be posting a curricular note soon. In the meantime, here are some photos from the week. You'll see students working on maps of Africa, bridge design and construction, geometry activities, hiking during PSD and participating as a team member in an Australian belay.

Tomorrow is an exciting benchmark for fifth graders. A good two thirds of the class will travel to Montreal with parent chaperones and Johanna. The home-stay visit with pen pals promises to be a special and unique opportunity.

On Tuesday of next week, we'll travel to New England Youth Theater to see Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. Rachel is in the play as well as Issac Freitas-Eagan! The performance will kick off our next literature unit. We'll be reading Dahl's classic story and writing a series of creative additions to his tale.

News, Pics, and Video

It was a busy week in fifth grade. Today, students continued to read from Facing the Lion. The story of Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton's experience as a Maasai child and as a student at a missionary school is extraordinary. In class, we read and discussed Lekuton's initiation into the warrior status of his culture. I was impressed by how fifth graders respectfully considered this aspect of Maasai culture. Please let me know if your child was confused by any aspect of the reading. Students also worked on drawing maps of Africa.

Today, we started the design component of a wooden bridge building project. Again, I was impressed by how students participated in the Q and A component of this project. I emphasized that the purpose of the project can be summarized in four points.

• To exercise planning and math skills
• To challenge artistic vision and construction skills
• To practice working with an expense budget
• To understand how the forces of tension and compression affect a bridge structure

Students will begin building bridges by the latter part of next week and complete the project before the Thanksgiving break. On a separate note, take a look at the newspaper bridge testing video clip posted below.

During today's PSD, the fifth and sixth grade hiked to one of Putney's archaeological mysteries. Located about three miles from TGS is a stone chamber built into the earth and capped with an enormous stone roof. Entry to the chamber is possible through a small opening in the cap stones. Scholars have attributed the construction of the structure to Celtic explorers, Native Americans, and New England Farmers. The jury is out on what theory is correct.

Next Monday in Halloween. Fifth graders have asked about wearing costumes to school. We discussed this at faculty meeting and decided not to have grade students wear costumes. That said, after school on Monday, there is a seventh and eighth grade home soccer game. The students traditionally wear costumes during the game. If fifth graders want to change into costumes at the end of the day and then stay in costume to cheer on their schoolmates, I'll make a very short dress-up time available.

Dear Parents,

This week marks the beginning of a school wide cultural study of the Maasai. We have started off in the fifth grade with a geography and mapping project and we have begun reading Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton's biography Facing the Lion - Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna.

In science, students are testing newspaper bridges for strength. Today, we took a trip to The Creamery Bridge in Brattleboro to set the stage for our work designing and building wooden bridges. Students made sketches of the interior structure and of the bridge in profile. We climbed across, around, and under the structure in an investigation of how a truss is made.

In math, we have been looking at place value and learning to divide by powers of ten. Tonight's homework is a place value puzzle that is tricky but not impossible. You might want to look over your child's shoulder as he or she completes the exercise.

X-C Invitational

Dear Parents,

I hope your child had a pleasant long weekend. I understand that there was a lot of soccer played on Saturday and Sunday and that the students played with heart. Mary Heller has asked me to spread the news that we'll be hosting an Invitational X-C running race this Wednesday, Oct. 26. All TGS students are welcome and encouraged to participate. We'll have a course walk at 3:30. I would be more than happy to offer a homework free night if it would encourage participation.

Immediately following the course walk: .5 mile race for 6-8 year olds, 1 mile race for 9-11 year olds, and 1.5 mile race for 12-14 year olds.

We need teams of at least three TGS boys and three TGS girls in each age group to qualify for the team trophies.

Thanks so much for rallying the troops.

On a separate note, I am attaching a link to an interesting New York Times article on education. It's thought provoking.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/magazine/what-if-the-secret-to-success-is-failure.html?_r=1&emc=eta1


Charlie

PSD and Social Curriculum in Action

Today, I am attaching a copy of the PSD and Social Curriculum description. I thought you might be curious to see these programs in action through the eyes of your child. In the attached pictures, you'll see activities that bring kids together in the spirit of fun and cooperation. Listening is an emphasized skill as the challenges become increasingly difficult. You'll see pictures of students on low rope challenges. Here, safety of the individual is paramount and hinges on the focused attention of spotters. You may see a picture of your child helping another student into a climbing harness or spotting as a classmate climbs a ladder to a high rope element. You may see your child traversing the catwalk. Know that these are challenges that are taken on by choice and that the successful completion is underscored by the attention and support of the entire class.

PHYSICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: Physical skills development in grade five is a program designed to give a child a chance to develop physically through play, games, skill tasks, core strength, and movement activities. Activities are planned to stress various underlying themes of the program: strength and endurance (muscular and cardiovascular), coordination, game skills, sportsmanship, and social interaction.

SOCIAL CURRICULUM: The social curriculum at TGS is designed to complement the academic curriculum and help maintain a healthy social and learning environment. Fifth graders are continually engaged in games and group and individual challenges that are designed to promote positive social dynamics. These activities complement and reinforce the classroom-based social curricular activities and goals. We define a healthy school community as a place where people have a sense of belonging, where adults and students extend and receive respect in their relationships with each other, and where people feel both a sense of support and personal challenge to help them learn and grow as human beings. Class activities help highlight and develop important community skills such as cooperation, team building, personal and social responsibility, listening, mindful speech, emotional literacy, respect for diversity, conflict resolution, stress reduction and relaxation, self-awareness, and problem solving.